February 16, 2009

Argentina's soy crop continues to struggle as a severe drought slows development of the plants, with recent rains only helping reverse damages in some fields like in Santa Fe province, the Agriculture Secretariat said in its weekly crop report Friday (February 13).

 

In the Lincoln and Pergamino districts of Buenos Aires province, limited soil moisture is damaging crops. New rains are needed for "the adequate development" of the crop and growth of the beans, the Secretariat said.

 

The situation is worse in Pehuajo, Buenos Aires, where scattered showers did nothing to help the crop in its development, and in parts of Entre Rios, where 30% of planted area is expected to be lost to the drought in some districts, it said.

 

In Cordoba, rains have helped crops develop in areas like Marcos Juarez, where losses from the drought are expected at 15 percent of total planted area.

 

As of February 5, farmers had planted 99 percent of the area seen going to soy, in line with the pace at this point last year.

 

Area is seen at a record 16.6 million hectares this season, according to a Jan. 21 estimate. That's down from a previous estimate of 17.8 million hectares.

 

The corn crop is in bad shape due to the dry, hot weather and high winds, the Secretariat said.

 

In the Pergamino district of Buenos Aires province, showers were scattered and came late for the development of the drop in some fields, while in Miramar the drought has led to losses of entire fields and damaged crops in others.

 

Conditions are better in Cordoba province, where rain of between 11 millimetres (mm) and 60 mm fell and helped improve expected yields in some fields. Only 25 percent of the crop in Cordoba province has been "very affected" by the drought, while the rest is showing "good expectations" for yields, the Secretariat said.

 

As of February 5, farmers had planted 99 percent of the area seen going to corn, in line with the pace at this point last year, according to the Secretariat.

 

On January 21, the department cut its forecast of planted area to 3.4 million hectares from 3.5 million.

 

The sunseed crop is showing conditions ranging from "regular" to "very poor" across the farm belt due to the drought and fast soil evaporation because of high temperatures, the Secretariat said.

 

Recent rains have failed to recharge soils with moisture to help improve yields, except in places like Marcos Juarez, Cordoba. There, recent precipitations are helping the crop develop and form seeds so that yields won't fall as much as previously expected as compared with the 2007-08 season, it said.

 

In Villa Maria, Cordoba, the crop is in "very good" condition, while crops harvested in parts of Entre Rios, La Pampa and Santa Fe are of poor quality and low yields, it said.

 

The harvest is almost complete in the province of Chaco, with low yields, it added.

 

As of February 5, farmers had harvested 15 percent of area sown to sunflower seeds this season, up from 12 percent at this point last season.

 

On January 21, the Secretariat cut its estimate of total planted area to two million hectares from 2.2 million and said it expects production to come in at between 2.5 million and 3 million tonnes.

 

Farmers wrapped up the 2008-09 wheat harvest last month.

 

On January 21, the secretariat said it expects production of 8.3 million tonnes this season, down from a previous estimate of 9 million tonnes. The estimates are sharply lower than the 16 million tonnes grown last season, due to decreased planted area and drought damage.